Pressure relief valve



July 15, 1952 H. P. BIRKEMEIER 2,603,231

PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE Filed Feb. 2'7, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 1952 H. P. BIRKEMEIER PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE Filed Feb. 27, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 w a wow j I V 1 Z/ //A Min P1855 1116 1;. ,3 I

j WZJQ Patented July 15, 1952 2,603,231 PaEssUaE RELIEF VALVE Henry F. Birkemeier, Chicago, Ill., assign onto Bell & Gossett Cmpany',iM0rton Grove,Ill.,.a corporation of Illinois ApplicationFebrua-ry 27, 1946, Serial No:650;649

Claims.

My invention relates .to pressure relief valves for devices containing :fluid under pressure, specific examples of such devices being hot water boilers and hot water heating systems, and more particularly to a valve of this type which is characterized by a capacity for substantially relieving the device within relatively small pressure limits.

A characteristic use of suchv valves is in connection with domestichot water heating, systems in which they are usually attached to, the boiler and the present invention will be described in this environment. customarily, relieving control by a device of this type is exercised by a valve carried by a spring loaded diaphragm that is.responsive to boiler pressure and is normally adjusted to open the valve at a pressure in excess of thirty pounds gage. As the boiler pressure rises above the set pressure of the valve, the latter opens slightly but only partiallyirelieves the boiler since, at the initial :opening pressure, the valve has a relatively small capacity. The valve ,may then close, followed by successive openings and closings. In any case, it is well known that the relief afiorded by these valves,

as presently constructed, does not become sufiicient until the valve has been opened by a'boiler pressure well above the setting of the valve, and particularly a pressure that is consideredunsafe for operation. Such ressures may be of the order of ten pounds or more above the setting of the valve. The repeated attainments of such pressures by reason of inadequate relief produces racking strains in. and may rupture the boiler.

It is therefore one object .of my invention to provide a pressure relief valve which is constructed and arranged .with sufficient capacity to rapidly and noiselessly'relieve the boiler at a pressure well below that considered unsafe'and to accomplish this result within relatively small pressure limits.

A further object is to provide a valve as indicated which is characterized by a quick opening or snap action, and in which provision is made for preventing siphonage that sets up vibration and excessive noise. I

A further object is to provide'a pressure relief valve which is arranged to discharge a minimum quantity of water during the initial heating period if the exp-ansionof water in the system develops apressure sufficient to open the valve.

These. and further objects of my invention will be set forth inthe following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

and the novel means by which said objects are eilectuated will be definitely pointed out 2 in "the claims. I

vIn thev drawings: l

.Fig. 1 is asectional elevation of one form of my improved valve shown in operative relation .toa hot water boiler.

Fig. 2 is azsectional detail showing a modified screen arrangement for use withrthe' valve illus'- -.the.valve, respectively.

.Fig. 6 shows a'variant'valve seat arrangement. Referring'to the drawings and moreparticularlyFig. .1 thereof, 'thenumeral I 0 designates a hot 'water *b'oilerrsuch as may, for example,

form partof a .hot water heatingsystem. From the upper part ofthe boilerextends a'nipplel'l whose upper end is threaded in the body, ll-of the relief valve which .has attached thereto a cover l3. .However, the" valve may be secured to other parts of the'boiler, or toany partof the heating system. The peripheral portion of a dia phragm i4 is clamped between the body. I2 and cover I3 while its inner portion is secured toa plate 15. The free part of the diaphragm I4 between the plate l5 and the clamped portion thereof-is preferably formed with an upward, annular bulge It to provide adequate stroke and hinging action with resulting improved flexibility. A valve disk I1 is secured to the under side of the plate l5 bymeans of a connector I8 threaded upwardly through and coaxial with the plate. The bottom. surface of the'disk I! normally engages an annular valve seat [9 to provide a primary seal andin concentric relationto and disposed inwardly of the seat ['9 is a the disk on the seat [9.

shoulder ring 20 whose upper surface is preferably spaced slightly from the disk l1, the spacing being only that necessary to insure seating of p v This seat may be of the knife edge type and it and the ring 20 are formed on the shouldered end of a bushing zt that is threaded in the inlet end of a discharge passage 22 extending from a side wall of the body l2 within a chamber 23 below the diaphragm l4. However, the seat l9 and-ring 20 may be formed on the disk [7, if desired, and in that event, the top surface of thefianged'portion of the bushing 2| would be flat. One end of a drain pipe 24 is conneotedto'the outlet of 'the passage 22.

An inverted cu 25 is secured to the upper side of the plate I and resting thereon is a lower spring seat that is engaged by the lower end of a helical, compression spring 21 whose upper end bears against an upper spring seat 28. The seat 28 is carried by an adjusting nut 29 threaded on a bushing 30 that is seated in the upper part of the cover I3 and by this arrangement, it is possible to load the spring 21 as desired and hence determine the pressure in the chamber 23 which will lift the diaphragm l4 and open the valve disk When the valve is first assembled, the cover l3 includes an aperture 3| four well known, standard types of pressure relief through which a tool (not shown) can be inserted to engage the walls of a selected notch 32 on the nut 29 and thus adjust the nut to compress the spring 21. After the desired compression has been secured, the aperture 3| is filled with a permanent plug 33 which prevents subsequent surreptitious tinkering with the correct adjustment. I

Occasionally,'it'may be desirable to manually open the valve disk I! and for this purpose, a stem 34 is slidably mounted through the bushing 30 and is provided on its lower end with a head 35 which has lifting engagement with the cup 25, the head being normally maintained in contact with the cup bya spring 36 seated in a pocket 31 in the connector |8. The upper end of the stem 34 extends above the cover I3 for pivotal securement to a handle 38 having at the pivoted end thereof a cam nose 39 which, when the handle is rocked counterclockwise, rides on the top of the cover and effects a lifting of th stem 34 and hence an opening of the valve disk I4.

Under operating conditions and assuming that .the valve disk I! occupies the closed position shown in the drawing, pressure in the chamber 23 is effective against substantially only that portion of the diaphragm |4 which'lies outwardly of the. periphery of the disk so far as an opening movement'of the disk is concerned. When the total pressure acting against the diaphragm exceeds the spring loading, the diaphragm lifts and separates the valve disk I! from contact with the valve seat l9. Possible compression of the air in thecover I3 above the diaphragmis prevented by anaperture' 40 in the cover. Since the annular gap between the seat I!) and the disk I1 is larger in area than the annular gap between the ring I ZUI'and the disk by reason of the differences in diameters of the seat and ring, it will be obvious that the last noted gap exercises a throttling action on the escape of water and pressure from the chamber 23. which enables the pressure in the chamber 23 to act against the add-ed area represented by that portion of the under side of the disk I! between the valve seat l9 and ring 20 and therefore rapidly increases the lifting movement of the diaphragm. Accordingly, the valve is characterized by substantially a snap action which results in a quick and material relief of the boiler pressure. In some instances and depending upon the temperature of the boiler water at the relieving pressure, -the water may flash intosteam after passing the valve seat 9. Because the valve opens to provide a quick, substantial relief, it also closes quickly and'will-maintain pressures within approximately three pounds or less of the diaphragm loading, each being per square inch.

In order to improve the operating characteristics of the device, the disk I! is provided with an annular groove 4| which faces and registers with an annular depression 42 on the bushing 2| be- This action provides a time factor valves, each having the characteristic single valve seat, clearly demonstrates the superior relieving capacity of the valve disclosed herein. For example, at a pressure of thirty pounds per square inch, the discharging capacity of the indicated prior art valves ranges from approximately to 4% gallons per minute, while the discharge of my improved valve is of the order of 11% gallons per minute. Comparable discharges are effected at higher and lower pressures.

A further advantage of the valve, compared to other types of snap action valves, resides in its ability to discharge a minimum quantity of water when the boiler is fired after a filling of the system. If the water expands 'sufficiently to develop a pressure that will open the valve, the water flow is so slow due to the slow rise of pressure that no substantial pressure is built up between the valve seat I9 and ring 20 and the valve therefore discharges only a trickle of water. In most cases, this small discharge is sufficient to relieve the boiler under the conditions stated and this characteristic is in marked contrast to existing snap action valves which are capable of only a single mode of action and hence discharge more water from the system during a slow pressure rise than circumstances require. This excessive water loss must be replenished.

The operation of snap opening valves may be effected by a siphon action on their discharge sides which, in the present instance, may arise when the valve disk I! opens. The first rush of water will fill the discharge passage 22 and piping 24 and water passing therethrough will acquire a definite velocity. Because of the release in pressure in the boiler, a slight drop of the diaphragm actuating pressure takes place which results in a small closing movement of the disk thus reducing to some extent the discharging flow of water. However, the velocity of the water in discharge pipe 24 sets up a partial vacuum on the discharge side of disk I! which tends to further close the disk. This action occurs intermittently and at a rapid rate and may set up a severe vibration in the connected piping.

To prevent the foregoing in my improved valve, means are provided to instantaneously break any siphonage. Specifically, these means include a valve chamber 43 in the disk I! which opens downwardly towards the passage 22 and in whose lower end is threaded a bushing 44 so that the chamber 43 is always in communication with the passage 22. The lower end of a helical spring 45 rests on the upper end of the bushing 44 and normally urges a ball valve 46 into contact with a seat 41 at the upper end of the chamber 43, thus closing a passage 48 which provides communication between the pocket 31 and the chamber 43. Apertures 49 are provided in the side wall of the cup 25 so that the interior of the cup is always at atmospheric pressure. Hence, if a siphonic condition is initiated in the passage 22,

the vball valve QB is immediatelyxunseated :bytthe outside air pressure and the :partial vacuum in the passage 22 is destroyed. Therefore, when once :opened and .so long as the boiler pressure remains adequate the valve discharges water-continuously and without vibration.

.Ascreenfifliis located-in the-lowerpartof the body '12 adjacent the connection of the nipple -lil therewith to prevent foreign particles from reaching'ithe valveseat. This screen is held in position by :a spring ring 5i which contacts the wall :of the body 12 in coterminous relation to the :screen and is disposed below apair of-opposed bosses 52,.only.one of which is illustrated, that. extent inwardly from the wall of the body. If the screen should :become clogged, boiler re- .lief lis efiected by the ring and screen bowing and permittingflow past the edges of the screen.

Tn Fig. 2 is illustrated a modified screen arrangement wherein the numeral 53 designates a valve :bodysimilar to the body i2 havingan in let passage 54 whose lower portion is threaded for receiving a nipple or pipe (not shown) as a connection with the-boiler. A split, spring ring 55sea'tsiin the inner wall of the passage'fi above the threaded portion thereof and resting on the ring isawasher 56 whose outer diameter is less than the threaded diameter of the passage 54% so that the washer may be easily removed. Secured to and extending upwardly 'from the washer-55 is an inverted; screen cup '5'? and a spring- 58 interposed'bet-ween the top of the cup and the wall of a discharge passage '55 corresponding to the passage 22, normally maintains the washer in contact with thering-ES and the cup in its normal screening "position. In the event-of'clogging, the cupmerly lifts against the spring to relieve the boiler, This construction possesses the advantage of accessibility in that the screen can be readily removed forcleaning without disassembling the body and .cover of the valve.

A'modified snap acting valve! is illustrated in Fig. '3, the'body and .cover of the valve being omittediand the valve being shown infully closed position. The principal distinction-between this valve and thatshowniin Fig. 1 resides in a delayed action that improves the snap action of the valve. 'InFigil the' valve diskd"! moves-concurrently with the plate 15 when raised by the diaphragm it, but in this modification, a preliminary movement of the diaphragm occurs be fore the valveidisk openspthusenabling a. slight build up in the pressure beneath the diaphragm before the relieving point is reached and a correspondingtfaster opening movement of the valve disk. I

Specifically, the numeral "68 des gnates the threaded end of. a dischargezpassa'ge'izz in Fig.1. Also, as in the latter figure, aconcentrically relatedseat 6| and ring 52 areprovided on .the uppenshouldered end of a bushing :63 that is threaded in the inlet end of the passage 60. Normally engaging the seat-8| is avalve disk having on its under side an annular'groove 6-5 which registerswith an annular depressionBS-between the seat iii and ring-62. So far described, the construction and its purpose are identical with the arrangement shown in Fig. 1.

The disk 64 carries an upwardly extending, hollow connector :61 on whi'chisthreaded a nut 68 which is "coaxial with the bushing 53 and which clampsthe-inner portion of a diaphragm 69 'againstthe disk. The ,diaphragmis preferably'shapedlike'that shown in Fig. 1. 'A'spring plate .10 encircles thereducedportion ll of :the nut:68 and iswjpressed against the .upper side .of the diaphragm by the lower end of a helical spring :12 whose upper end may be loaded as shown in Fig.1. The diaphragm is notdirectly connected to the plate 19 and the latter may move'freely'relative' to and lengthwise of thenut 6.8 between .the lower position shown in Fig. 3 in which it clamps :the diaphragm 59 against the disk '64 and an upper position in which it engages ashoulder 1-3 on the nut (see 'Fig. 4). Manual raising of the disk 64 is eifectedby a stem 13 whose upper-end may be actuated as in Fig. l and whoselower end carries a 'head [4 that engages an interior shoulder 15in the nut.

Siphonic action is prevented by a ball valve 76 which engages a valve seat 17 provided in a passage 18 that extends through the connector 61, the valve beingurged by a spring 19 that is supported by a split, spring ring 80positioned in an appropriate groove in the wall of the passage 78. The upperend of thepassage 18 communicates with a'chamber 8! in'the nut 68 between the head M and the upper'endof the connector ii! and the chamber 8! communicates through lateral passages 82 in the nut with the interior of the valve cover, such as the cover l3, which is at atmospheric pressure for reasons explained in connection with Fig. 1. The head It-is maintained in contact with the shoulder 15 and clear of the upper end of thepassage 18 by means of a spring83 whichrests on the-annular shoulder 84011 which the seat 1'! .is formed.

So long as the boiler pressure remains below that set for the valve to open, the valve-disk 6 is forced into contact with the seat 6| by the spring '12 as shown in-Fig. 3. As the boiler vpressurerises, the diaphragm 69 moves upwardly to thereby impart a like naovement to the spring plate it against thespring 12. This movement of the diaphragm is not accompanied by a movemerit of the disk 64 since the diaphragm out.- wardlyof thenutta is not positively connected to the disk 64 and the plate 170. There'foraas the diaphragm .continues to rise, a part thereof which had been in contact with theupper surface ofthedisk Mraisesto expose a substantial portion of this surface tothe boiler pressure which acts to maintain the seating of the disk. This condition continues until the plate l0 engages the shoulder 13 on the nut 68, after which further movement of the diaphragm causes a quick opening movement of the disk 54; and the action,

thereafter, including the prevention of siphonage, is the same as that described for Fig. 1. Specifically, and referring to Fig. 4; which represents an intermediate position of the valve, i. ,e., one in which the upward movement of the diaphragm 69 has shifted the spring plate 10 into contact with the shoulder -73 and away from the valve disk as which then-engages thevalve seat ti, it will be observed that the valve disk 64 .is.

then free of restraint by the spring 12. Hence, when the valve disk 54 is lifted clear of the valve seat .6! by a further upward movement of the spring plate In and diaphragm 559 due to an' additional riseinpressure beneath thelatter, the valve disk M is free'to move upward with a snap action due to the throttled pressure operating between the seat BI and ring 52 and unimpeded by the spring 7'2'until it engages the spring plate 70 When the boiler pressure falls below the pressure at which the valve relieves, the valve then 'being in an openapositionthe 'capacitybf'the disk 64 for movement relative to the plate 10 and the major portion of the diaphragm 69, in conjunction with the partial vacuum existing in the discharge passage 60 at this time, enables the disk 64 to move tightly against the valve seat 6| slightly in advance of the extending action of the spring l2. This operation is facilitated by the partial separation of the diaphragm 69 from contact with the upper surface of the disk 64, thus exposing an added portion of this disk to the closing action of the boiler pressure, as shown in Fig. 4.

The above floating spring action also has value in a valve equipped only with the spring seat 8|, i. e., without the choking ring 62 and therefore a valve that is not characterized by snap action.

In Fig. 6 i illustrated a variant arrangement of the sealing rings or shoulders which may be applied to the bushings 2| or 63. The comparable bushing is designated by the numeral 85 and its flanged end is provided with concentric, outer and inner sealing rings 86 and 81, respectively, having the same height and corresponding, respectively, to the rin 19 and shoulder 20, and the ring BI and shoulder 62. If desired, the rings 86 and 81 may be formed on the disks H or 64.

I claim: 3

l, A pressure relief valve comprising an inlet and an outlet having a valveseat, a valve disk operably related to the seat, a clamping part secured to the disk, a diaphragm disposed transversely of the valve disk and having its central portion secured between the part and disk and responsive on the disk side to inlet pressure, a spring plate on the opposite side of the diaphragm encircling and shiftable relative to the part, spring means normally urging the plate to press thediaphragm against the disk and the disk against the seat and the diaphragm being responsive to a predetermined inlet pressure to move the plate awa from and relieve the disk of spring means pressure, the part having a shoulder spaced from the disk and engageable by and after a substantial movement of the plate away from the disk to thereby separate the disk from the seat, and means located between the seat and outlet and operably related to the disk when the latter is moved away from the seat to retard the release of the inlet pressure suiiiciently to make such pressure efiective against the seat side of the disk which is then further moved in an opening direction with a snap action.

2. A pressure relief valve comprising an inlet and an outlet, a member having a pair of concentric ridges surrounding the outlet, the outer ridge forming a valve seat, a valve disk operably related to the seat, a clamping part secured to the disk, a diaphragm disposed transversely of the valve disk and having its central portion secured between the part and disk and responsive on the disk side to inlet pressure, a spring plate on the opposite side of the diaphragm encircling and shiftable relative to the part, spring means normally urging the plate to press the diaphragm against the disk and the disk against the seat and the diaphragm being responsive to a predetermined inlet pressure to move the plate away from and relieve the disk of spring means pressure, the part having a shoulder spaced from the disk and engageable by and after a substantial movement'of the plate away from the disk to thereby separate the disk from the seat and the inner ridge beingoperably related to the disk when the latter ismoved away from the seat to retard the release of the inlet pressure sufficiently to make such pressure effective against the seat side of the disk which is then further moved in an opening direction with a snap action.

3. A pressure relief valve comprising an inlet and outlet, a pair of cooperating members operably related to the outlet, one member constituting a valve disk and the other member a valve seat, a diaphragm responsive on one side to inletpressure and having a limited central portion thereof secured to the one member, a shiftable spring plate on the opposite side of the diaphragm, spring means normally urging the plate to press the diaphragm against the one member and the one member against the other member, a part coaxial with and extending from the one member through the diaphragm and plate and having a shoulder spaced from the one member, the diaphragm being responsive to a predetermined inlet pressure to move the plate away from and relieve the one member of spring means pressure and the plate after a substantial movement away from the one member engaging the shoulder to thereby, separate the one member from the other member, and means carried by one of the members between the engaging portions of both members and the outlet and operably related to the one member when the latter is moved away from the other member to retard the release of the inlet pressure sufficiently to make such pressure effective against the one member which is then further moved in an opening direction with a snap action.

4. A pressure relief valve comprising an inlet and an outlet having a valve seat, a valve operably related to the seat, a diaphragm responsive on one side to inlet pressure and having a limited part of its central portion secured to the valve, the opposite side of the diaphragm-being exposed to atmospheric pressure, a shiftable spring plate on said opposite side of thediaphragm, spring means normally urging the plate to press the diaphragm against the valve and the valve against the seat, a part coaxial with and extending from the valve through the diaphragm and plate and having a shoulder spaced from the valve, the diaphragm being responsive to a predetermined inlet pressure to move the plate away from and relieve the valve of spring means pressure and the plate after a substantial movement away from the valve engaging the shoulder to thereby separate the valve from the seat, means located between the seat and outlet and operably related to the valve when the latter is moved away from the seat to retard the release of. the inlet pressure sufficiently to make such pressure efiective against the seat side of the valve which is then further moved in an opening direction with a snap action, and means for admitting atmospheric air to the outlet to break any partial vacuum that may be created by liquid flowing through the outlet comprising a passage through erably related to the outlet, one member consti-' tuting a valve disk and the other member a valve seat, spring actuated diaphragm means normally 9 urging the one member into engagement with the other member and responsive on the one member side of the diaphragm means to inlet pressure, a shoulder carried by and spaced axially from the one member, the diaphragm means being responsive to a predetermined inlet pressure for movement away from and relieving the one member of spring pressure and after a substantial movement away from the one member engaging the shoulder to thereby separate the one member from the other member, and means carried by one Of the members between the engaging portions of both members and the outlet and operably related to the one member when the latter is moved away from the other member to retard the release of the inlet pressure sufficiently to make such pressure efiective against the one member which is then further moved in an opening direction with a snap action.

HENRY P. BIRKEMEIER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number 20 99,903

Sweden of 1940 

